Taupo, New ZealandKinloch
Kinloch Manor & Villas
Baronial golf lodge
Baronial golf lodge
It feels like a fortified stone stronghold above Lake Taupō, balancing windswept links golf with sheltered fireside estate comforts.
What it’s good at
Notable
Andrew Patterson designed modern Scottish baronial stone castles furnished in heavy velvets and hides.
Notable
Direct access to New Zealand's only Jack Nicklaus signature 18-hole championship links.
What they say
Michelin Selected
Michelin
The lodge and cabin-style villas look out over the fairways or the lake, with Tongariro National Park's hiking trails nearby for non-golfers.
Tucked away
A place apart: the property is the destination.
Lake Taupō lies just down the hill, and the Great Lake Trail winds along the shoreline for mountain biking.
The rooms
Villas open onto private terraces facing the golf greens, with cedar-lined walls and dark velvet furnishings inside.
The spa
The spa sits beneath the main lodge and works estate Mānuka honey into traditional Māori bodywork rituals.
K Restaurant
Tables look across the greens to Lake Taupō, and the kitchen cooks with organic estate vegetables and wild venison.
The app
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Our shorthand
How we rate hotels.
The medals
Gold
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Silver
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
Bronze
They did this well. You’ll notice.
Listed
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Design
Built around a vision. Even the door handles have a designer.
Luxe
Cared for at every turn. The bath is drawn before you ask.
Local
It could only be here. You wake up knowing where you are.
Social
Where the city goes out. The bar is full and the night is young.
Heritage
A building with a story. Once a palace, a monastery, a station.
Wellness
You leave feeling new. Rest, sweat, soak and sleep like a stone.
Classic
The city grew up with it. Same rituals, same regulars, same bar.
Resort
A world of its own. Something to do from breakfast to nightcap.
The scene
Lively
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Central
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Secluded
A place apart: the property is the destination.